Wire fence tool



July 8, 1941. I SEAVEY 2,248,788

WIRE FENCE .TOOL

Filed March 2, 1940 A TTORNEYS.

Patented July 8, 1941 UNITE STATES PATENT OFFICE WIRE FENCE TOOL Jess A. Seavey, Springfield, Oreg.

Application March 2, 1940, Serial No. 321,991

1 Claim.

This invention relates to wire fence tools, and more particularly to tools designed for stretching the wire fence strands to facilitate the securing of the wire strands to the fence posts.

An important object of the invention is to provide a tool of this character embodying pivotally connected members having means to grip the wire strands and securely hold the wire strands during the stretching and securing operation.

Another object of the invention is to provide wide post-engaging ends on the pivoted members, which will insure against slipping of the tool when the tool is pivoted laterally, using the fence post to which the wire strands are being secured, as a pivot point.

With the foregoing and other objects in view which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention resides in the combination and arrangements of parts and in the details of construction hereinafter described and claimed, it being understood that changes in the precise embodiment of the invention herein described, may be made within the scope of what is claimed, without departing from the spirit of the invention.

Referring to the drawing:

Figure 1 is an elevational View of a wire stretching tool constructed in accordance with the invention.

Figure 2 is a plan view thereof.

Referring to the drawing in detail, the tool embodies a pair of pivotally connected members 5 and 6 which are formed with enlarged portions through which the pivot pin I extends.

Each of these members includes a jaw section and a. handle section, and as shown, the member 5 provides the support for the plate 8, which is secured to the member 5, by means of rivets 9. The upper surface of the plate 8 is curved at l and cooperates with the curved edge II of the member 6, in gripping a wire therebetween.

The jaw end or short end 12 of the member is substantially wide, as shown by Figure 2 of the drawing, the extremity thereof being curved upwardly as at l3, so that it will fit against a post or support to which the wire is being secured, in such a way that when pressure is brought to bear on the tool in stretching the wire, the tool will be held against slipping. Due to (Cl. -4235)v the width of the jaw end l2 of the member 5, it will be seen that twisting of the tool, when pressure is brought to bear thereon in stretching a wire, will also be prevented.

The jaw end [4 of the member 6 is also substantially wide, although the member [4 is considerably shorter than the member 12, with the result that the extremity I3 of the member l2 extends an appreciable distance beyond the free end of the portion M of member 6, permitting the member l2 to be inserted in restricted places, for operation.

Cooperating blades l5 are provided on the members 5 and 6 and may be operated to cut the wire strands to the proper lengths, after positioning.

At one end of the member I5, is a staple-pulling member I6 which is formed by bending the handle end of the member 5, laterally and pointing and curving the extremity thereof so that it may be forced under a staple.

In the use of the tool, a wire to be stretched is positioned over the curved surface of the plate 8, and the members 5 and 5 pressed towards each other. The wire is now firmly gripped between the curved edge of the plate 8 and curved portion of the member 6. With the wide portion I2 of the jaw formed at one end of the member 5, resting against the post to which the wire is to be secured, the tool may now be pivoted laterally stretching the wire. After the wire has been properly stretched, it may be readily stapled and held in its stretched position.

During the use of the tool, it may be desirable to use the portion [4 of the member 6 as the fulcrum, to the end that the tool may be pivoted in the opposite direction. With this end in view, the portion I4 is also substantially wide to prevent slipping when held against a post.

What is claimed is:

A wire fence tool comprising a pair of pivotally connected members, a pair of wide jaws formed on the pivotally connected members, one of the jaws being substantially long and extended an appreciable distance beyond the cooperating jaw, and the substantially long jaw being curved outwardly away from the short jaw providing a bearing for the tool, when the tool is used against a post as a fulcrum, in stretching wire.

; JESS A. SEAVEY. 

